Internal-combustion engine



May 30, 1944. J. R. EATON INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE Filed July 20, 1942 4 Shaina-Sheet 9 9a 9 9 M. e m

May 30, 1944. J, R. EATON INTERNAL comauswzou ENGINE Filed July 20, 1942 4 Sheets-Shut 2 gfvwc-mw @6683. Z2170,

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May ,l J. R. EATON 2,349,816

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Patented May 30, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Jesse B. Eaton, Chandler, Ariz.

Application July 20, 1942, Serial No. 451,617

(Granted under the act of March 3, 1883, as amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. 757) 1 Claim.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes, without payment to me of any royalty thereon.

This invention relates to an internal combustion engine and the primary-object is the provision of a novel construction of a multiple cylinder engine, capable of developing a maximum amount of horse power with its overall dimensions reduced to a minimum, thereby especially adapting the engine for. airplane use as well as for various kinds of motor vehicles.

Another object of this invention is the provi sion of a novel grouping of the cylinders to conserve space and permit a maximum number of firing chambers and power. pistons to be employed for driving a single crank shaft and the provision of a bed or base for the support and efficient retention of the cylinders and the crank shaft in their proper relation and which permits convenient mounting of the engine within a comparatively small space of a vehicle of any type. A further object of this invention is the provision of a novel arrangement of pistons for each cylinder, wherein the pistons of each cylinder will be tied togetheras well as slidably supported for movement in the cylinder with piston wear on the cylinder reduced to a minimum and which will permit convenient connection of the pistons to the crank shaft for deliverance of power thereto with a minimum amount of friction and vibration.

With these and other objectsin view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel fea, tures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a top plan view' illustrating an internal combustion engine constructed in accordance with my invention and showing the novel grouping of the cylinders with relation to each other.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation, partly in section, showing the bed or base for the support of the cylinders and the connection between the cam shaft and crank shaft.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view illustrating the grouping of the pistons with in one of the cylinders and the connection between said pistons as well as the valve mechanism for the firing chambers of one of the cylinders.

plane to its'companion cylinder.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in section, illustrating the grouping of the cylinders and the arrangement of the pistons therein and their connection to the crank shaft along with the valve mechanism for the firing chambers of the cylinders.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view illustrating the operating means for the valve mechanism.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary end elevation, partly -in section, illustrating the construction of the bed and base and the mounting of the cylinders thereon.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view illustrating the bearings for the support of i the crank shaft and its specific construction and connection with the connecting rods of the pistons.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view illustrating the mounting of the cam shaft and the rocker arms actuated thereby.

' Figure 9 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 99 of Figure 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral 5 indicates in entirety the base for the sup port of the cylinders 6, crank shaft 1, cam shaft 8 and other parts which go to make up the engine. The base supports the cylinders horizontally and in opposed pairs with one cylinder of each pair slightly offset laterally in a horizontal Further, the base 5 supports the crank and cam shafts between the pairs of horizontally arranged cylinders with one end of the crank shaft protruding from the base to permit its operative connection with a drive mechanism of a vehicle, while the cam shaft has one end protruding from the base to permit application thereto, in any well known manner, the electrical distributor for the ignition system of the engine. As the ignition system does not form any part of the present invention, it is not disclosed and may be of any conventional type adaptable to an engine of this kind. The crank and cam shafts are geared together, as shown "The base 5 is of a construction to provide a crank case and consists of a bottom wall Ill which may have a plurality of removable sections to permit the assembly of the cylinders and other parts on the base.

The base 5 further includes side members H, end members I2, longitudinally extending spaced beams l3 and a plurality of partition walls It all of which are of an integral construction so that the base 5 may be conveniently cast as a transversely arranged beams I8 are provided with.

grooves to receive ribs formed on the cylinders 6. The ribs 2!] and I! will anchor the cylinders against endwise movement on the base and to further secure the cylinders on the base lug bolts 2| are passed through the end members and beams I8 and are threaded into the cylinders. The removable sections H! of the base give access to the interior of the base so that the lug bolts employed between the beams I8 of the cylinders can be easily actuated to fasten or free the cylinders. a

The partitions of the base are grouped to form between the pairs of cylinders chambers: 22 equipped with removable covers 23. The chambers 22 accommodate therein portions of' the valve mechanism, bearings for the crank. and cam shafts.

The crank shaft 1 is of sectional formation with the sections detachably connected, as shown at 23'. The crank shaft being composed of a series of sections permits the crank shaft to be easily assembled on the base. The longitudinal beams it of the base are provided with aligned journal openings 24 to receive the crank shaft and are equipped with anti-friction bearings 25 for the support of the crank shaft and to permit the crank shaft to rotate with a minimum amount of friction.

Main bearing supports 26 are formed integrally with the base 5 and rotatably support main bearings 21 of the crank shaft, anti-friction bearings 28 being provided to reduce friction to a minimum.

The crank shaft is provided with crank cheeks 29 and 3d, the crank cheeks 29 being rotatably supported by the main bearings 21. By referring to Figure 7 it will be seen that the crank shaft assembly has the cheeks thereof arranged so that there will be a cheek 29 arranged between a pair of cheeks 30 and eccentrically journaled on the cheeks 29 and 30 are pairs of connecting rods 3|, the hubs of which are indicated by the character 32 and are-apertured to receive a connecting pin 33 connecting the cheeks 29 and 3!! with the hubs grouped in pairs and provided with anti-friction bearings between the hubs and also between said hubs and the cheeks, the anti-friction bearings being indicated by the character 35. The pairs of connecting rods are arranged so that the connecting rods of each pair extend in opposite directions to each other alongside the cylinders and are journaled on cross heads 35 slidably supported in guides 31 formed in the cylinders substantially intermeworking stroke.

intake and exhaust valves 43. The cylinders intermediate their ends and in opposite walls thereof are provided with slots 44 to allow the cross heads to extend outwardly of the cylinders for sliding movement.

It will be seen that the cross heads 36 slidably supported in the cylinders and connected to the pistons by the connecting rods 39 will slidably support the pistons horizontally permitting said pistons to move freely within the cylinders without placing any undue piston wear on the walls of the cylinders. Furthermore, it will be seen that the cross heads connected to the cheeks of the crank shaft by the connecting rods 3| will" transmit the reciprocatory motion of the pistons into a rotary motion of the crank shaft with a comparatively small amount of friction and vibration.

Alemite fittings 45 may be employed for furnishing lubricant to the crank shaft bearings and connecting rod bearings coupled to the cheeks of the crank shaft.

The cam shaft 8 having its various cams 45 formed thereon is rotatably supported inbearings 41 mounted within openings provided in the beams I3. *The bearings 41 are of the sec-- tional wedge type held in place by set bolts 48.

providing a construction whereby the bearings 41 may be easily tightened whenever wear may occur and also to permit the cam shaft 3 which may be of a single unit to be readily assembled in position within the base.

The intake and exhaust valves 43 located at the outer ends of the cylinders are engaged by rocker arms 49 pivotally mounted, as shown at 53. The rocker arms 49 are operated by push rods 5| including adjustments 52 from cams 46 of the cam shaft. The push rods 5| are slidably supported in the end members of the base 5 as well as the partitions [4. The intake and exhaust valves located at the inner .endsof the cylinders are operated by valve tappets 53 slidably supported by the partitions M and engaged by rocker arms 54 pivotally mounted on cross members 55 mounted on the partitions ifi. The rocker arms 54 are engaged by cams on the cam shaft and are provided with offsets so as to clear the cams that operate the push rods 5|.

The timing of the valve mechanism is such that the engine operates on a four cycle principle and also when a working stroke of a piston is occurring. in one end of a cylinder the piston in the other end of the cylinder will be on a non- The timing of the firing of the various cylinders is conventional and may be altered as in other internal combustion engines to meet with different working requirements.

The cylinder heads and cylinders are efficiently water-jacketed and the inner heads are spaced from the walls or partitions M to give room for the adjustment of the valve tappets Also these spaces are preferably left open so as to allow air circulation, as clearly shown in Figure 1, while the wells are closed as shown in said figure by the cover plates 23. 58 are removably mounted on the cylinders and base 5 and act to close the spaces between the cylinders where the connecting rods operate. It is preferable that the seats H5 in the end members l2 have the vertical walls thereof converge so that the cylinders will have a Wedging fit with the-seats under the weight of the cylinders.

From the foregoing description taken in co'n-' nection with the accompanying drawings, it will Also cover plates:

be seen that a construction of engine has been provided wherein a maximum of cylinders and pistons may be grouped within a comparatively small space and supported by a base which will only require for its accommodation a minimum space, consequently permitting the installation of this type of engine into vehicles wherein space must be conserved. Also, it will be seen that due to the grouping or arranging of the cylinders and the cylinders each having a pair of pistons therein connected together and to a common crank shaft, will permit a maximum amount of horse power to be developed with vibration and friction reduced to a minimum.

Furthermore, it will be seen that the cylinders and other parts that go to make up this engine can be easily assembled and disassembled on the base.

It is to be understood that force feed lubrication for the moving parts such as the pistons, cross heads, connecting rods and the like may be provided as the base will form a very efficient lubricant sump.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

In an engine construction, a horizontally arranged frame including integrally connected side and end members and integrally connected longitudinally and transversely extending beams and said longitudinally extending beams integrally connected with the end members, plates integral with the longitudinally extending beams and the side members and cooperating therewith in providing pairs of valve mechanism chambers and crank shaft chambers with the crank shaft chambers located between the pairs of valve mechanism chambers, said chambers being located substantially intermediate the ends of the frame, said end members and transverse beams being cutaway to provide seats having grooved walls, cylinders supported by said seats, ribs on said cylinders and received in the grooved Walls of the seats, said seats and ribs coacting in preventing shifting of the cylinders transversely and longitudinally of the frame, and stud bolts carried by the end members and the transverse beams and threaded into the cylinders to prevent the cylinders from moving vertically in the seats.

JESSE R. EATON. 

